Santa María, Argentina to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile is about 533 road miles (857 km): roughly 11 h 56 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 437, at Paso de Jama.
Full advisory: Argentina, Chile. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers should prepare in advance when taking long road trips and make sure to have adequate insurance coverage.”
- Chile: “Use caution when walking or driving at night, especially if alone.”
| Total distance | 533 mi (857 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN40 → RN68 → RP59 → RN9 → RN34 → RN1V66 → RN52 |
| Border crossing | about mile 437, Argentina → Chile (Paso de Jama) |
| Regions on the route | Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta, Jujuy, Antofagasta |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to San Pedro de Atacama
The route crosses at about mile 437, at Paso de Jama, from Jujuy into Antofagasta. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Santa María to San Pedro de Atacama is like
RN52 (160 mi) and RN68 (109 mi) carry about 50% of the 533 miles. The first 437 miles are in Argentina; the last 96 are in Chile. It runs through 5 regions: Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta, Jujuy, Antofagasta. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Santa María to San Pedro de Atacama
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Catamarca |
| RN40 | 2–48 | 46 | Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta |
| RN68 | 48–157 | 109 | Salta |
| connecting roads | 157–162 | 5 | Salta |
| RP59 | 162–167 | 5 | Salta |
| connecting roads | 167–168 | 1 | Salta |
| RN9 | 168–192 | 24 | Salta |
| RN34 | 192–212 | 20 | Salta, Jujuy |
| RN1V66 | 212–236 | 24 | Jujuy |
| RN9 | 236–276 | 40 | Jujuy |
| RN52 | 276–436 | 160 | Jujuy, Salta |
| local roads | 436–533 | 97 | Jujuy, Antofagasta |
- Mile 9 of this route: Catamarca → Tucumán (region line)
- Mile 33 of this route: Tucumán → Salta (region line)
- Mile 208 of this route: Salta → Jujuy (region line)
- Mile 329 of this route: Jujuy → Salta (region line)
- Mile 363 of this route: Salta → Jujuy (region line)
- Mile 437 of this route: Jujuy → Antofagasta (international border)
Places worth a stop between Santa María and San Pedro de Atacama
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Salar Aguas Calientes I (mile 463), Los Flamencos National Reserve (mile 464)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Flamencos National Reserve (mile 464)
- Museums and history: Ruins of Quilmes (mile 17), Salta Cathedral (mile 168), Museo de Bellas Artes de Salta (mile 168), Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, San Salvador de Jujuy (mile 238)
Ruins of Quilmes
In the Calchaquí Valleys of Tucumán Province, the Ruins of Quilmes mark a pre-Columbian settlement that covered about 74 acres, the largest in the country.
Salta Cathedral
Salta Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Salta and serves as the seat and metropolitan cathedral of the Archbishop of Salta.
Museo de Bellas Artes de Salta
Created by the Salta provincial government, the Museo de Bellas Artes de Salta shows a growing collection of work by local, national and international artists.
Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, San Salvador de Jujuy
The Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour is the seat of the Catholic bishopric of San Salvador de Jujuy and is counted among Argentina's historic buildings.
Salinas Grandes
Spread across Jujuy and Salta provinces at about 3,450 meters, the Salinas Grandes salt flat covers 212 square kilometers of white desert.
Salar de Olaroz
In the Susques department of Jujuy province, about 270 km from San Salvador de Jujuy, Salar de Olaroz lies on a high plateau at around 3,900 m.
Salar de Quisquiro
Also called Salar de Loyoques, Salar de Quisquiro is a salt pan of about 80 km² in northern Chile, in a basin averaging 4,430 m and topped by 5,285 m Cerro Purifican.
Salar Aguas Calientes I
High in the Puna de Atacama of the Antofagasta Region, Salar Aguas Calientes I borders the Tara salt flat to the north and east, Quisquiro to the south and Pujsa to the west.
Los Flamencos National Reserve
Covering 740 square kilometres of dry puna in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, Los Flamencos National Reserve is made up of seven separate sections in the Antofagasta Region.
When you get to San Pedro de Atacama
Tulor
Near San Pedro de Atacama, Tulor is an archaeological site with the remains of a former village complex covering 5,200 square meters, plus 22 outlying structures.
Catarpe
Five kilometers north of San Pedro de Atacama, Catarpe was an Inca administrative center that oversaw the area's fortresses; nearby stands the San Isidro chapel, built in 1913.
Pukará de Quitor
About 3 km northwest of San Pedro de Atacama, Pukará de Quitor is a pre-Columbian stone fortress overlooking the valley of the San Pedro River.
More drives to San Pedro de Atacama
- Copiapó to San Pedro de Atacama
- Tacna to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Sucre to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Oruro to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- Potosí to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
- San Miguel de Tucumán to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
More drives from Santa María
- Santa María, Argentina to Purmamarca
- Santa María, Argentina to Uquía
- Santa María, Argentina to Humahuaca
- Santa María, Argentina to Atocha, Bolivia
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa María, Argentina to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile?
About 11 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 533 miles.
How far is San Pedro de Atacama, Chile from Santa María, Argentina by car?
About 533 miles (857 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Santa María to San Pedro de Atacama drive cross the border?
At about mile 437, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso de Jama.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santa María into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Santa María, Argentina to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa María to San Pedro de Atacama use?
In order: RN40, RN68, RP59, RN9, RN34, RN1V66 and RN52. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa María and San Pedro de Atacama?
Closest to the road: Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, San Salvador de Jujuy (cathedral, mile 238, 1 mi from the route); Salar Aguas Calientes I (salt flat, mile 463, 0.9 mi from the route); Los Flamencos National Reserve (national reserve, mile 464, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.